Habitat for Humanity Gets a Green Makeover

From Seattle,Washington, to Westchester,New York, lowincome housing is turning a shade greener. Since 1992, the program known for building homes for lowincome families, Habitat for Humanity, has started to build with an emphasis on incorporating green and energyefficient techniques. Many Habitat for Humanity affiliates have completed or are completing projects that exemplify green and energy-efficient building. Jennifer Langton, with the Construction and Environmental Resources department at Habitat for Humanity International, says that energy-efficient building is happening nationwide at Habitat. “We have many affiliates building energy-efficient houses,” says Langton.“ A few off the top of my head are the Seattle and also the Olympia,Washington, affiliates. HFH of Southwest Montana in Butte is another very excellent example.The affiliates in Denver, Colorado, and Tucson,Arizona, also build all Energy Star or equivalent houses. There are many smaller affiliates too that build this way.” An innovative green building project has been implemented by the South Puget Sound Habitat for Humanity (SPSHFH) affiliate. In January 2002, SPSHFH, in cooperation with a group of design students from Evergreen State College,worked together to design an energy- and resource-efficient ...